Contract Negotiations Take Center Stage at Milan Seniors for Healthy Living Town Hall

The Milan senior center is getting ready to “bury our hatchet,” said Executive Director MaryAnn Opal at the Oct. 1 town hall meeting with seniors. But, first Opal wanted a chance to share the proposed contract terms with those they will impact the most.

Options

Opal, who has spent her career working with aging populations, including as the current director of the Milan Seniors for Healthy Living and years ago as director of the center when it still operated under Milan City, said she saw four possible scenarios:

1. Milan Seniors for Healthy Living pays 100 percent of utilities, maintenance, janitorial and consumables, and a $20,000 a year lease, which she estimates would total $90,000 for seniors. That includes the cost of a maintenance worker. The city will turn over the entire $110,000 Milan Senior Millage to the senior center, and also allow the seniors full use of the building, including the right to rent it out to other groups and keep the profit from that. In addition, the city would provide snow removal and lawn care.
2. The nonprofit Milan Seniors for Healthy Living is dissolved and goes under the city.
3. The Milan Seniors for Healthy Living finds a different place to meet, which Opal stressed is not their current plan. 
4. They keep the 10-year-old contract with the city, where the city provides the center and upkeep for the seniors and passes on much of the millage, something Opal said the city will not agree to.

“That’s where we stand. It’s pretty black and white,” Opal said. “We just feel like we need to get a conclusion.”

City’s response

Mayor Ed Kolar confirmed to The Sun Times News that the first scenario fairly represents the city’s proposed contract, with one exception. He believes the seniors could do their own maintenance or hire someone for less, especially since as the owner of the building the city will continue to take care of major repairs. 

Aside from that, Kolar said the city currently brings in about $25,000-30,000 by renting the building for weddings and events. Once the MSHL take over the lease of the building any proceeds from rentals will go to the seniors. With the grant-funded repairs the city is making, Kolar believes that could easily increase to $50,000, which would provide the seniors with another source of revenue.

Negotiations

All parties involved have said the negotiations have been challenging. There is also hope that they will lead to a clear relationship between the city and senior center.

Stakeholder Feedback

Milan Seniors for Healthy Living Board President Cindy Swope, served on city council during the time when Milan dedicated The Center. Swope said she was so proud of the words on the wall where it said Milan Senior Community Center.

Swope said her appreciation for the MSHL increased when her own mother broke her hip.

“Many of you helped your aging parents and it really does change your life,” Swope said. “This center offers an opportunity not just for the seniors, but to their family members, the community.”

When leaders of the MSHL opened the floor for comments, one resident called MSHL “a sanctuary for those of us who don’t have family.” She said the building had the perfect layout and floor plan for those who were aging and commented on how much she liked the sun through the large windows and watching the squirrels, geese and other wildlife outside, and the security of the police station next door. 

“No other location can equal what we have now,” she said, attributing the center for “my entire social life.”

“I live in the country and I come here because I need people,” said another member, adding that she enjoys the birds, the woodchucks, but most of all the people.”

Another resident commented on how much he enjoys the men’s group.

“At first I didn’t want to come here,” he said. “I’m not old. But, it turns out I’m old.”

One 92-year-old woman said she’d been going to the Center for 21 years, though she had just retired from her job that week. 

“The best thing I ever do is come here and I want to keep coming until I can’t anymore,” she said.

Opal ended the meeting on a positive note.

“We just came here to let you know we are going to be transparent. We are going to take care of the city,” Opal said. “It’s going to all turn out good. It will all turn out the way it needs to turn out.”

To learn more about the history, read The Sun Times News article: Milan City, Senior Center struggle to negotiate contract.